Best Star SAN Alternative including all new Chemsan

[hedgerowpete]

Has anyone ever used the 10% Iodine solution that you can use to disinfect wounds? I know it will most likely dye plastic stuff brown but if you can live with that I guess it would be a viable alternative.

been using it for 15 years and have had no issues

 

[Dr Chris Hop]

Hey brewers

With Star San becoming an increasingly rare commodity, can anyone give me a steer on what you believe is the best substitute?

My stock is now pretty much gone

Thanks All

I use Chemsan and it seems to work fine, although the solution is a bit cloudier than I remember Star San being.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

1 litre of water, 1.25ml videne, 1 reaspoon citric acid (especially in hard water areas). 30 Second contact time and no rinse. Pour some into bottles and shake. Drop small items int a jug of it, spray it onto large areas.

If you use citric acid in it, you can reuse it until the colour disappears. It only comes in 500ml bottles for about £13 at the chemist and you'll need a tiny syringe. It's got a good shelf life, but I found myself not using it all before the date expires, so simply mix up a new batch every time I brew or bottle.

With regards to Star San last week I listened to an interview with Charlie Talley, founder of Five Star Chemicals who make it on an old Brewing Network 'The Session' episode. It was very informative. Enter 'Charlie Talley Brewing Network' into a search engine to find it.

 

[Urbangoose]

Hi all

Thought since I kicked off the question on Star San I would come full circle. I have now gone down the Chemsan route as mentioned by many works well, fab value (£20 for 2 Litres) - so diluted it will last an age! It’s cloudy when mixed as my water is hard - use cheap bottled water and it will be fine.
A fab alternative all - recommended to all

 

[Drunkula]

I use rainwater that I've boiled for my Star San now and it stays completely clear. I might do a time comparison with that and tap water to see if the pH changes over time.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

bear grylls now are we

I use rainwater that I've boiled for my Star San now and it stays completely clear. I might do a time comparison with that and tap water to see if the pH changes over time.

 

[Drunkula]

bear grylls now

No, venison grills now.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Mmmmm venison ....

 

[Drunkula]

venison ....

Cheap that was, 78p down from £2.60. I don't have it normally. Usually it's deer.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Cheap that was, 78p down from £2.60. I don't have it normally. Usually it's deer.

. Ouch... that was a tumbleweed moment. You will have to let your jokes lie in fallow land for a bit then hit us in a roe with a few good ones !

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Keep those jokes for a Stag night.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Last time I used them, before Christmas, I left a few spare plastic pipes soaking in closed bucket of Chemsan solution. Intending to use them last week, I took the top off the bucket and found the solution had become milky and the pipes had a sticky residue.

Not sure what to make of it, any suggestions please?

 

[foxy]

Last time I used them, before Christmas, I left a few spare plastic pipes soaking in closed bucket of Chemsan solution. Intending to use them last week, I took the top off the bucket and found the solution had become milky and the pipes had a sticky residue.

Not sure what to make of it, any suggestions please?

That's the acid attacking the tubing does it to silicone as well. Not a good idea to leave anything like that soaking is StarSan or its alternatives.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

There's an interview with Charlie Talley of Starsan on The Brewing Network where somone asked this question and the raw materials tubing is made from are tiny tubes as well and the clouding of them is simply that over time, these tiny tubes suck up the liquid. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post a link, but it was the episode from 19/03/06, or as it's listed, 03/19/06. I can't remember if the question was about Starsan or Chemsan though.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks both, I will not do that again. It seems not to have attacked the plastic of the brewing container/bucket though.

 

[Andybiker]

Hi all just to resurrect this I tested my Chemsan 10ml to 5l mix today with litmus paper and the Ph was about 5.

I had to add another 10ml to get it to the reqd ph of 3 colour and even that seemed near 4.

Am I doing something stupid?

I mixed with normal tap water which is very soft where we live.

Any ideas? Anyone else actually tested the recommended amount with litmus paper?

Thanks.

 

[foxy]

Hi all just to resurrect this I tested my Chemsan 10ml to 5l mix today with litmus paper and the Ph was about 5.

I had to add another 10ml to get it to the reqd ph of 3 colour and even that seemed near 4.

Am I doing something stupid?

I mixed with normal tap water which is very soft where we live.

Any ideas? Anyone else actually tested the recommended amount with litmus paper?

Thanks.

I don't think you are supposed to do it that way, sure the acid will drop the pH but the idea is to use the required dose in water under 3 pH. Best bet would be to get some pH Down from a hydroponic store or aquarium shop and drop the pH first. I do remember reading adding more doesn't increase the sanitising power, in fact it is detrimental. Read on the Five Star website.

 

[user 18729]

Hi all just to resurrect this I tested my Chemsan 10ml to 5l mix today with litmus paper and the Ph was about 5.

I had to add another 10ml to get it to the reqd ph of 3 colour and even that seemed near 4.

Am I doing something stupid?

I mixed with normal tap water which is very soft where we live.

Any ideas? Anyone else actually tested the recommended amount with litmus paper?

Thanks.

Litmus paper isn’t very reliable, you can get an electronic PH meter for about £10 delivered on amazon.

How are you measuring out 10ml?

 

[chuffer]

I don't think you are supposed to do it that way, sure the acid will drop the pH but the idea is to use the required dose in water under 3 pH. Best bet would be to get some pH Down from a hydroponic store or aquarium shop and drop the pH first. I do remember reading adding more doesn't increase the sanitising power, in fact it is detrimental. Read on the Five Star website.

Have i read that right? You're saying that chemsan is only effective if you reduce the water ph to 3 first? I thought you could just add it to normal water?

 

[foxy]

Have i read that right? You're saying that chemsan is only effective if you reduce the water ph to 3 first? I thought you could just add it to normal water?

Looked for their spec sheet couldn't find it, if you mix with tap water it is effective for one hour. Pretty much the same as proxitane which I use. Discussion on Homebrewtalk here.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/does-star-san-go-bad.457271/